11 Things States Should Do to Keep Children & Families Secure in ’11

New York City, December 22, 2010 – One thing
most people seem to agree on, especially in difficult economic
times, is that investing in our children makes the most
compassionate as well as economic sense for our future as a
country. With that in mind, the National Center for Children in
Poverty, a think-tank at Columbia University’s Mailman School
of Public Health, strongly recommends that states prioritize those
efforts aimed at keeping children healthy and secure. States
should:

Sustain their child care subsidy programs for low-income
working families, meeting—and if possible exceeding—the
matches necessary to receive their full federal allocations from
the Child Care and Development Fund. This two-pronged program
supports children’s healthy development while it also enables
their parents’ to secure and maintain employment.

Keep co-payments for child care subsidies below 10 percent of
family income, making child care not only more affordable, but also
allowing parents more money for other necessities – and
further stimulating the economy.

Continue to fund pre-kindergarten programs. Studies have shown
that prekindergarten is an effective way to set a child on an early
course for future success in school and throughout life.

Create incentives to support public and private volunteering
partnerships for mentoring and after-school programs to keep kids
in healthy environments for social and emotional development.

Keep remedial and bridge programs from high schools to
community colleges to help more young adults continue their
education.

Sustain unemployment benefits for families in need. With the
national unemployment rate hovering near 10% for more than 18
months and long-term unemployment at the highest level on record,
UI benefits (funded by a state-set employer tax) provide a crucial
lifeline to unemployed workers and their families. Research shows
that unemployment benefits are quickly spent and provide a strong
boost to the economy. For each dollar invested in the program $1.60
or more is added to Gross Domestic Product over the course of a
year through multiple rounds of spending.

Ensure that their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs
(food stamps) reach families in need by running effective outreach
programs, simplifying administrative procedures, and liberalizing
program eligibility requirements. Because the federal government
funds food stamp benefits, states can accomplish a lot for the poor
at a modest cost to state coffers.

Ensure that immigrant families are protected by the social
safety net. Children with immigrant parents are the fastest-growing
segment of the child population in the United States, but
comparatively few of these families participate in important public
benefit programs, such as State Child Health Insurance,
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and housing assistance.
States must strengthen their outreach to immigrant communities to
inform them of these programs and help potentially eligible
families apply for them.

Maintain and expand access to health care for low-income
children and families through publicly financed health insurance
programs including Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance
Program, and health insurance premium subsidy programs for low wage
workers and small businesses. Health insurance enables timely
access to preventive and other care necessary for healthy
development and health maintenance. Good health is fundamental for
school readiness, school achievement and participation in the labor
force.

Maintain support for programs that work to prevent child abuse
and neglect and strengthen families’ ability to nurture
children. At a time when families may be especially fragile, it is
even more important to make sure they have the supports they need
to keep children safe.

The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) is the
nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting
the economic security, health and well-being of America’s
low-income families and children. Part of Columbia
University’s Mailman School of Public Health, NCCP uses
research to inform policy and practice with the goal of ensuring
positive outcomes for the next generation.